Folger Theatre Unveils Full Lineup Of Talks, Workshops, And Celebrations for READING ROOM FESTIVAL
The Reading Room Festival 2026 will welcome more than 40 actors and musicians from the Washington, DC community to perform in these four staged readings.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Jan. 09, 2026
Folger Theatre has revealed the complete lineup of events included in the fourth annual Reading Room Festival, a public celebration exploring how Shakespeare's works are adapted, translated, and reimagined for the stage today. The Reading Room Festival will take place January 22-25, 2026, at the Folger Shakespeare Library.
"The talks, workshops and panels will explore the depths of translation, the musicality of Shakespeare, and the richness of adaptation that flows from it," shared Karen Ann Daniels, Director of Artistic Programs. "We've learned in the first three years how much our audiences like to step into the practices of creativity themselves. So, we're doing just that-but with music too!"
This year's lineup of fully staged readings leans into how music pairs naturally with Shakespeare and includes new works and adaptations by Alexa Babakhanian, Alberto Bonilla, Barbara Fuchs, and Marcus Gardley. Each staged reading boasts casts featuring many DC actors, and every reading will also be accompanied by post-show conversations led by critics and scholars.
Additional programming includes hands-on creative workshops, gallery talks in the Folger's exhibition halls, panel discussions with artistic leaders, and special events where the public, artists, and scholars can all gather.
Other highlights of the Reading Room Festival 2026 include:
· Shakespeare as a Starting Point: The free opening night discussion, a collaboration with Signature Theatre, will examine how composers, playwrights, and adaptors of the American musical have drawn inspiration from Shakespeare. DC theater artists will perform and discuss selections from Play On!, Kiss Me Kate, West Side Story, and other Shakespeare-inspired musicals.
· Programming for Young People: The Reading Room Festival will host a family-friendly reading of Lope De Vega's Fuente Ovejuna, adapted by Barbara Fuchs. The reading will be preceded by a free hands-on crafting workshop for the audience to make props to be used in the play.
· Seven Ages of Music: A Community Workshop: Participants are invited to contribute to the co-creation of an original new song inspired by Jaques' "Seven Ages of Man" speech from Shakespeare's As You Like It. This playful and participatory exploration of music making will be led by actor and musician John Sygar.
The Reading Room Festival 2026 will welcome more than 40 actors and musicians from the Washington, DC community to perform in these four staged readings. In addition, several members of the yearlong Folger Institute workshop, "Shakespeare and Black Performing Women," will be participating in this year's festival as panel moderators. This workshop of theater makers and scholars is convened by Karen Ann Daniels and Patricia Akhimie, Director of the Folger Institute and author of Shakespeare and the Cultivation of Difference: Race and Conduct in the Early Modern World. Visit the Reading Room Festival page to see all participants.
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